Buzz
Expiration dates for airline miles and points can differ greatly, just like the rules for earning them. Many expire within 18 months of earning, some may last up to 10 years, while others never expire at all.
To make things trickier, some airlines keep your miles or points as long as there’s been any account activity (like buying a ticket) within a specified period, while others will waive expiration if you hold the airline's credit card or have elite status.
At some point, when managing your points, miles, and the various complexities of airline loyalty programs, you may notice some of your miles are nearing their expiration date. Even if you aren’t planning to fly with that airline soon to keep them active, those miles don’t have to go to waste. Most major U.S. airlines offer several ways to redeem your soon-to-expire miles.
Transfer Your Miles to Another Individual
To transfer your miles to someone else within the same airline loyalty program, you typically just need their loyalty number. Keep in mind that some airlines may charge a fee. For instance, JetBlue requires you to transfer points in increments of 1,000 and charges $12.50 for each 1,000 miles transferred.
Donate Your Miles to Charity
Many airlines provide the option to donate your miles to causes such as supporting travel for veterans or medical patients. Some airlines have a minimum points requirement for donations. For example, Southwest requires a minimum of 2,000 miles to donate.
Use Miles for a Magazine Subscription
The MagsforMiles program lets you exchange your miles for a magazine subscription. Prices typically start around 400 miles for magazines with 10 to 12 issues annually.
Subscribe to a Newspaper
The availability of newspaper subscriptions may vary by location, but several airlines offer Newspaper Rewards in exchange for miles. For example, with American Airlines, you can get a 24-week digital subscription to the Financial Times for 1,960 miles.
Exchange Miles for a Gift Card
If you have only a small number of leftover miles, your gift card options may be limited. For instance, you can trade 1,350 miles for a $5 Starbucks gift card through Delta SkyMiles, or exchange 650 miles for a $25 Restaurant.com gift certificate via United MileagePlus.
Send Some Flowers
Floral arrangements from FTD, which is the floral partner for many major airline loyalty programs, generally start at 3,600 miles.
Buy Something Else
Many airlines offer a shopping portal where you can exchange your miles for actual products. However, you'll need a fair amount of miles for larger items. For example, with 7,200 United miles, you could get an electric s’mores maker.
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